


Lost Control of His Life

by RavenclawProngs



Series: Tumbling Through the World [4]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Flute playing, Human & Country Names Used (Hetalia), M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-05-13 12:58:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14749307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenclawProngs/pseuds/RavenclawProngs
Summary: A strange noise wakes Matthew in the middle of the night.  Wait... flute music?





	Lost Control of His Life

**Author's Note:**

> This story was inspired by a Tumblr post by aphruotsi, who has apparently closed down that blog. They have a Hetalia sideblog but didn't transfer posts over, so this one's lost except to screenshots.  
> The title is a direct reference to said post.
> 
> This happens some time after _Eine Plötze_ maybe a few weeks or months but it's not really relevant how much time has passed.
> 
> I used to have _Stared Awake_ before this one, but decided it made more sense this way.

Matthew rolled over in bed and looked muzzily at the alarm clock.  Red letters burned through the darkness, stating that it was half after two.  What on earth could have woken him?

He turned to look at the door leading to Kumajirou's room.  Closed.

So it wasn't a hungry polar bear pestering him for fish.  A glance out the window confirmed the weather hadn't turned for the worse.  He sat up and that's when he heard it again.  Flute music, echoing faintly up the stairs.

At two in the morning?

Matthew wrapped himself in the blanket from the end of the bed and headed downstairs and through the kitchen to the French doors leading from the dining area to the back yard.  Gilbert was standing in front of the doors, facing his watery reflection and playing the flute, pajama pants riding low on his hips, bare chest nearly glowing in the light from over the sink.  Matt felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight, already near tears from the sadness of the music Gil was playing.  He didn't know enough about music to know if he was playing a specific piece or not, but the melody was haunting and wistful.

He stood off to the side in Gil's line of sight and scuffed one foot against the tile, waiting until he opened his eyes and met Matthew's in the glass before coming closer and wrapping blanket-covered arms low around his waist, making certain not to interfere with his playing.

Gilbert's playing never ceased but he leaned into Matthew's warmth and the tune he was playing got happier before tapering off into its final flourishes.  He lowered the instrument and turned his head enough to press his temple to Matt's forehead.

"Couldn't sleep?" Matt asked.

"I tried."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Gilbert slumped.  "Not really, Birdie.  It's--I kept reliving the war.  What happened after.  You know."

Matt squeezed him tighter.  "Do you want to watch Disney movies and eat junk food on the couch?"

He grinned.  "Now you're talking my language!"

 _"_ _Noch_ _nicht,"_ Matt murmured.

Gil paused, swallowing hard.

"Well, I suppose not **literally,"** he demurred, then cleared his throat and finished with, "I'll get started on the popcorn, you get the movies lined up."

Matt looked at him quizzically for a moment before heading into the living room to pick out some light-hearted princess movies.  After a moment's thought, he added _Anastasia_ to the list.  While he dithered over whether to start with that or _Brave,_ Gilbert brought the bowl of popcorn into the living room, set it on the coffee table, and came to see what the holdup was.  Hooking his chin over Matt's shoulder, he looked at the two cases in his hands.

"Hmm?"

Matt turned to look at him, then flipped the cases over so Gilbert could read them.

"So what's the problem?"

"Which should we watch first?"

Gilbert pointed at one and Matt moved away to put it in the DVD changer.

Matt curled up next to Gilbert on the couch, shifting around to share the blanket with him, leaning into his side.

About halfway through the first movie, Gilbert started yawning, slumping against the arm of the couch.

Matt nuzzled against his shoulder.  "You want to lie down?" he mumbled.  Gilbert nodded absently.

After some shuffling around, they settled down on their sides, Matt tucked into the back of the couch at Gilbert's insistence.  He hesitated a bit over where to put his free arm before gingerly settling it around Gilbert's waist.

"Is this okay?" he worried.  Gilbert cleared his throat, tried to speak, then cleared his throat again before grabbing Matt's hand and pulling it up to his chest, fingers laced tightly together.

 _"_ _Ja,"_ he croaked.  "Just--don't trap me and we'll be fine."

"Okay," he murmured, spreading their fingers over Gilbert's heart.  As one movie blended into the next, Matt could feel Gilbert start to relax and eventually snore softly.  Finally relaxing, himself, Matthew nodded off against his back.

When morning dawned and pale greenish light filtered through the curtains, Gilbert found they'd both shifted in their sleep, Gilbert now flat on his back with Matthew wrapped around his side, golden head resting on his chest, hand loosely curled next to his own chin.  At the other end of the couch, Kumajirou was snuggled up to their feet in much the same way.

Gilbert chuckled.  "Like master, like pet," he mused.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing.  Go back to sleep, _Kuschelbär."_

**Author's Note:**

> Noch nicht=not yet
> 
> Kuschelbär=cuddle bear


End file.
